If you think you’ve got to cover yourself in paint, throw yourself on the ground and strip down to your birthday suit to be an activist, think again. An activist is defined simply as a person who campaigns for social change.

A beautiful aspect of being human is that we have the power to change things that we don’t agree with — whether it be what’s in our food, how animals are treated in captivity, or inequality between genders or races. When you begin to take action to bring awareness to the causes you care about, you become an activist in the process.

So while the seemingly extreme actions mentioned above will definitely get you noticed, they are, by no means, essential for becoming an activist. All it takes to become an activist are passion, knowledge, and a desire to help bring about change. Anyone can do it — here are seven ways that you can get involved in the causes you care about:

1. Educate Yourself

Read, check out documentaries, listen to podcasts on your way to work — whatever you can do to learn the most that you can about your cause will only help to make you a better activist by giving you the knowledge you need to educate others and ignite change.

 2. Engage the Power of Social Media

Social media has revolutionized the way we communicate and is a powerful tool for activists. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube… whatever your social media platform of choice, there are tons of connections to be made with individuals and organizations that share the same values and goals as you do. Be sure to share our posts on your personal social media platforms, as well!

3. Volunteer

Volunteering offers wonderful opportunities to network and gain knowledge and experience. By helping an organization whose work you admire, you’ll learn more about your chosen cause and make valuable connections with those interested in the same things that you are.

4. Find Like-Minded People

When you’re part of a network of like-minded people, your cause takes on a stronger purpose, and you’ll benefit from their camaraderie, Support and knowledge. Social media and volunteering can help connect you to those with similar interests, but don’t stop there. Bring up your activist work in everyday conversation — you never know who may also share the same passions, and you may just recruit another member for your cause! Remember, when it comes to activism, there certainly is power in numbers!

 5. Get Creative and Have Fun

Being an activist doesn’t mean limiting yourself to one type of activism or another. It’s about sharing what you know with others who may not know. These days, activism takes so many shapes and forms — from cooking to art to music. Have fun with it and make it interesting! Use your personal talents to create your own unique form of activism.

6. Don’t Stop

Never stop learning, and never pass up an opportunity to share what you know. Maybe the woman next to you on the train would be interested in one of your leaflets on factory farming. Or maybe your barber wants to put an end to GMOs, too. Talk to people… the worst they can do is say they’re not interested. But you may be surprised at how many are.

 7. Live It

Conscious activism is activism by doing. Think of it as leading by example. You can make very powerful statements about the ways in which you choose to live your life — where you shop, what you eat, and the clothes you wear. Raise awareness through your clothing and opt for sustainable clothing brands like Tiny Rescue. Check out the entire climate change collection made entirely of recycled fibers!

…Make sure you’re living in accordance with the ideals you believe in, and you’ll be well on your way to promoting change!

8. Be a Green Monster

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that are raising awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your own food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!